Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk condemned those who mock political violence after Dave Chappelle made a joke referencing the murder of her husband, Charlie Kirk, during a show in New York on Saturday.
Chappelle was performing in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden when he delivered the track. In it, he talked about the pressure on famous people to say and do the right things before bringing up the murder of Kirk, who was fatally shot during a conference at Utah Valley University in September 2025.
Erika Kirk, who succeeded her husband as head of TPUSA, published an article about the incident on X on Sunday.
“My husband, Charlie Kirk, was killed in an act of political violence, a situation that our two children and I will live with every day for the rest of our lives,” she wrote. “A culture that mocks assassinations is a culture of profound moral decadence. It threatens the very foundations of our country and the principles that uphold our democracy.
“You don’t have to agree with someone’s politics to recognize the value of their life. It shouldn’t be that difficult. Political violence should never be something this country tolerates, condones or celebrates,” she concluded.
Chappelle framed the remark around free speech, pointing to the chill in public commentary that spread through media and entertainment following the shooting.
“I feel fucked up saying that,” Chappelle said. “It’s scary being a public speaker. And I mean, look, since that guy Charlie Kirk was murdered — and I shouldn’t say it publicly — but I feel better. I know I shouldn’t say that, but it’s just a feeling.”
In the weeks following Kirk’s death, several journalists and television personalities were suspended or fired over comments about the killing. Among them was then-MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd, who was fired after suggesting on air that the conservative activist and Second Amendment defender helped create the political climate that led to his assassination. The backlash culminated in ABC’s withdrawal Jimmy Kimmel Live! was off air for nearly a week because of a monologue in which the host discussed the reaction to Kirk’s murder.
Chappelle, who has not publicly responded to Erika Kirk’s statement, has long sparked controversy with his comedy, particularly around identity politics. Her material about transgender people has been a hot spot since 2021, when her Netflix special The nearest sparked internal protests against the streamer, including an employee walkout. In an interview with NPR News actors Earlier this year, the comedian said some Republicans had “weaponized” transgender jokes like his and campaigned on them.
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Chappelle’s rep for comment on the backlash and Erika Kirk’s statement, but did not hear back Monday.
Furthermore, on Saturday, Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan of I got it The podcast apologized for laughing at a joke about Kirk’s death in a previous episode. On Thursday’s episode, the hosts read X’s messages about midterms, including one that said, “We’re digging up Charlie Kirk and we’re starting him again.”
At least two of the podcast’s sponsors, Cash App and Chewy, then said on X that they were dropping their sponsorship.
In an Instagram post, the progressive podcast hosts said laughing at the joke was wrong and announced a donation to Everytown for Gun Safety.
“It was an insensitive joke and we shouldn’t have laughed. We regret it and apologize,” they wrote. “Regardless of our political differences, there is nothing funny about gun violence. We have long supported common-sense gun safety reform. To that end, we have donated to Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in America.”
On Monday, Utah District Court Judge Tony Graf scheduled the trial of Tyler Robinson, the 23-year-old man accused of Kirk’s killing, for the summer of 2028. A statement regarding the delay in the Kirk family’s trial called the decision “deeply disappointing.”
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